City Visions: Juvenile Sex Trafficking in the Bay Area

Many people think that child sex trafficking is an international problem, but the FBI has identified the Bay Area as one of 13 'hot spots' in the United States for the domestic, commercialized sex trade. Girls of all races and ethnicities as young as 11 are forced into prostitution in the Bay Area, and the problem is growing every year.

We explore why commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) crimes are on the rise in the Bay Area and what local law enforcement agencies and nonprofit groups are doing to combat it. We will also look at what we as community members can do to protect girls from CSEC and help rescue them.

Resources and Links to Learn More about CSEC in the Bay Area:

HEAT Watch Alameda County: The mission of the H.E.A.T. Watch program is to build and increase the capacity of all child-serving professionals (CSP) and communities to effectively respond to and combat CSEC (commercially sexually exploited children) in their jurisdictions. The Bay Area Heat Watch Coalition phone number is (510) 272-6222.

S.A.G.E. (Standing Against Global Exploitation): The Standing Against Global Exploitation Project—or SAGE Project—is a nonprofit organization with one primary aim: bringing an end to human trafficking and the commercial sexual exploitation of children and adults (CSEC/CSE). SAGE contributes to this goal by raising awareness about trafficking and CSEC/CSE issues and by providing treatment services for survivors.